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LINCOLN ROOM

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
LIBRARY

MEMORIAL

the Class of 1901

founded by

HARLAN HOYT HORNER

and

HENRIETTA CALHOUN HORNER

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS
ACROSS THE MALL

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2012 with funding from

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

http://archive.org/details/abrahamlincolnloOOmacm

STATUE OF LINCOLN

IN THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL

WAvSHINGTON, D. C.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS
ACROSS THE MALL

BY
HOMER EUGENE MACMASTER

Qhe Christopher Publishing House
Boston, U. S. A.

COPYRIGHT 1932
BY THE CHRISTOPHER PUBLISHING HOUSE

PRINTED IN
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

^73. 7 L L> 3 Liajcoka)

DEDICATED TO

MY FATHER AND THE MEN WHO FOLLOWED THEIR

GREAT COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, ABRAHAM LINCOLN,

DURING THE WAR OF THE REBELLION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART ONE

Abraham Lincoln Looks Across the Mall . . . . 11

PART TWO

Stars O'er the Clearing 19

The Soul of Lincoln 23

She Sleeps Upon the Hilltop 27

The Lincolns Move to Illinois 29

To Manhood's Greater Tasks 33

A Lantern in His Hand 37

Lincoln Takes a Flatboat to New Orleans ... 39

The Slave Market 43

The Faded Portrait 47

Clean Chips 51

When Lincoln Rode the Circuit 53

The Poem Lincoln Loved 57

The Battle of the Giants 59

There 's a Little Woman Waiting 61

When Lincoln Came 63

The Marching Feet of Men 65

The Guiding Hand 69

The Tall Man With a Shawl 73

Victory at Gettysburg 75

Abraham Lincoln Speaks at Gettysburg .... 77

With Malice Toward None 81

The White Dove of Peace 83

" Now, He Belongs to the Ages " 87

PART THREE

Lincoln Lives Triumphant 91

Abe Lincoln Reads Macbeth 92

Walt Whitman Meets Abe Lincoln 94

Lincoln 95

PART ONE

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

The Lincoln Memorial at Washington stands in
grandeur on the Mall, between the great white dome
of the capitol, which typifies the strength of the Union
which he saved, and Arlington, where lie the honored
dead whom he loved.

The unity of its vast proportions, the purity of the
marble of which it is constructed, and the sense of
Lincoln's presence within makes this indeed an American
Shrine.

Lincoln, seated in his chair, looks across the Mall
ever solicitous of, and watchful over the destiny, and
welfare of his beloved land.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

I

Abraham Lincoln looks across the Mall,
And guards the destiny of a freedom loving

people;
He knows their hopes and fears,
And understands them all.

II

Within a sacred shrine, erected to his name,

He sits in simple way,

Upon the soil where statesmen walk,

As once he lived and walked the same.

Ill

He seems about to rise and speak,
Denouncing wrong, approving what is right,
And the greater welfare of all the people
He would ever seek.

IV

Upon a marble seat, 'neath columns white,
He sits in honored place;
With deep-set eyes and thoughtful mood,
He watches day and night.

12 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

From this place through lonely midnight hours,
He looks o'er mirrored lake,
Which reflects the lights of gardens,
Shadowy roofs, and dim-lit towers.

VI

In the farther distance buildings stand,
Whose massive shapes and forms
Have now become the symbol of Freedom,
And glory of a mighty land.

VII

Beneath yon sky-like dome, which rises plain,
Repose the things of State,
Purified by his own blood,
Which was not spilt in vain.

VIII

Near by, a towering shaft of monumental stone,
In memory of one whose zeal
Laid foundation deep and firm
For other men to build a nation on.

IX

To the left, his watchful eye will see

The home of those whose hands

Direct the affairs of government,

And destiny of those unborn and yet to be.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 13

X

Beyond, where broadening circles sweep
O'er the cherished hopes of man,
His sleepless eyes will ever turn,
And faithful vigils keep.

XI

0, Mighty Lincoln! your martyred fall,

And crimson blood, enrich the soil,

Of the sacred spot

From which you now look across the Mall.

PART TWO

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 17

INTRODUCTION

Everyone is more or less familiar with the life story
of Abraham Lincoln, for scholars have been diligent
in pursuit of facts which are now available.

Part II does not attempt to give in detail a story of
that life. It is rather a collection of poems, arranged
in chronological order from the time of his birth to his
martyrdom, each one based upon some well known phase
of that very remarkable life.

18 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

STARS O'ER THE CLEARING

Abraham Lincoln was born at Hodgensville, Ken-
tucky, February 12, 1809 of Thomas and Nancy Hanks
Lincoln. His birthplace, a little cabin of logs, in a
settler's clearing, is now enshrined within a beautiful
building of enduring granite upon the exact spot where
his birth took place many years ago.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 19

STARS O'ER THE CLEARNIG

I

Where a hill slopes gently downward,
Facing the coming morn;
In a pioneer home of Kentucky,
Abraham Lincoln was born.

Around was a new-made clearing,
Where the brush was burned away,
Leaving the black stumps standing,
Rooted deep in the dark red clay.

The cabin was made of timbers,
Of un-hewn logs was it made,
And over the stout ride-pole,
A roof of plain shingles was laid.

Between the unmatched timbers

The space was fitted with wood,

There was a window, a door, and at the end

A tall, straight chimney stood.

Inside, were the simpler comforts,
For Thomas Lincoln was poor,
And all that was used, and needed,
Was placed on the bare earth floor.

II

It was here that brave Nancy Lincoln
Gave to the world a son,
Whose name will forever be honored,
As long as time shall run.

20 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

The bright stars o'er the clearing,
Looked serenly down from above,
For into the world was coming
A soul of compassion and love.

It was not far from his cradle,

To a well known manger bed;

And the same stars were shining

Which blazed o'er the Christ-child's head.

For Nancy and Mary were sisters;
And Thomas and Joseph both knew
The use of the plane and the hammer;
Their joys and pleasures were few.

Ill

When the sun arose in its glory,
Bringing light to that humble home,
The cry of a babe was heard,
For the day of promise had come.

But away in the outer shadows,
That hovered o'er field and wood,
Sinister forces were gathering,
Which would bathe a nation in blood.

Sing, 0 Sing, from the Heavens!
Rejoice, and Rejoice again,
For the light of day is coming,
Flooding the mountain and plain

0 Blazing Stars o'er the clearing!
How little we sometimes know,
That the hand of God is directing
The affairs of man here below.

22 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

THE SOUL OF LINCOLN

In the summer of 1816, when Abraham was eight
years of age, the Lincolns moved to their new home in
Indiana. Here, in the primitive conditions of early
pioneer days, his youth was spent.

This may well be considered the formative period of
his life, and out of the sunshine, the soil, the woods and
things of nature, his very being was formed.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 23

THE SOUL OF LINCOLN

Into the soul of Lincoln

There poured with unstinted flood,
The great primal forces of Nature;

Things that were wholesome and good.

The sunshine, storm, and the shadows,

Of those early pioneer days,
Threading trails through the forest,

Marking and blazing the ways.

Spending days and nights in the open,

Drinking from Nature's cup
The fresh clean draughts of manhood;

From boyhood growing up.

Learning the lessons of Nature
As taught in Wisdom's school;

Having an Infinite teacher,
Careful of precept and rule.

Slowly from youth into manhood,

Strong of arm and of limb,
It seemed all Nature's forces

Were firmly grounded in him.

Somehow, the soul of Lincoln,
Tender, compassionate, kind,

Grew alone in the backwoods,
Seeking its strength to find.

The soul of the noble Lincoln

That nations now revere,
Was schooled in things eternal;

And carefully nurtured there.

24 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

The giant trees of the forest,
Long since crumbled to dust,

Sheltered the growing Lincoln
That nations have learned to trust.

So here, in the primal forest,

On fair Indiana's sod,
Was fashioned the great soul of Lincoln,

Under the hand of God.

26 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

SHE SLEEPS UPON THE HILLTOP

In the year of 1818 a sickness spread over Southern
Indiana which carried off the people at an alarming rate.
Nancy Hanks Lincoln was one of the victims. Her
body, placed in a coffin made of planks, pinned together
with wooden pegs, was carried to the hilltop, where
she was laid to rest beneath the trees. No funeral
service was held, either at the home, or at the grave.
Abraham, who at that time was ten years of age, longed
to have a service but was compelled to wait several
years until a minister came from Kentucky, who preached
the belated sermon for his mother.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 27

SHE SLEEPS UPON THE HILLTOP

I

She sleeps upon the hilltop,

In a narrow, lonely bed,
Where the forest trees are growing

Above her sacred head.

II

No word of hope was spoken,
No song of love was sung,

But all around was solitude,

And hearts with anguish wrung.

Ill

0 great and noble mother!

Most honored of them all,
Who give their lives in sacrifice

When heavy duties fall.

IV

Beneath the light of heaven,
Where God to earth comes near,

Lies the grave of Nancy Hanks,
0 Blessed Pioneer!

28 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

THE LINCOLNS MOVE TO ILLINOIS

In the Spring of 1830, Thomas Lincoln, with his new
wife, Sarah Bush Lincoln, whom he had previously
known in Kentucky, and the youthful Abraham, with all
their worldly possessions piled high, or tied upon the
sides of a lumbering wagon drawn by patient oxen, took
their way into Illinois. This state had just recently
been opened for settlement. They passed through several
small towns, or settlements, on their way to the Wabash
River, which they crossed at Vincennes. They continued
out across the wide expanse of treeless prairies to make
for themselves a new home in Illinois.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 29

THE LINCOLNS MOVE TO ILLINOIS

The morn of their departure,

On that fateful moving day,
Old friends came with greetings,

To speed them on their way.

The yoke of patient oxen

Hitched to the heavy load
Of household goods piled high,

Was started on the road.

The lumbering, creaking, wagons,
With wooden wheels sank low

Into the soft and miry places;
The caravan moved slow.

From their lonely backwoods cabin,
They came slowly from the wood,

Through the towns and villages,
Which in settled regions stood.

An ungainly youth was driving,
Who urged with gentlest care,

The straining, plodding, oxen
Steadily coming there.

Who was the obscure driver

That trudged along the side
Of the heavily burdened wagon,

Across the country side?

30 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

On the road to the prairie,
And the land of boundless sky,

Lincoln, the young man, came
With his ox team driving by.

Young Lincoln by the roadside,
As his ox team struggled on,

Scarcely realized his mission,
Or the heights yet to be won.

Like many another young man,
Who trudged along Life's way,

Men never saw his stature
Until he had passed away.

32 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

TO MANHOOD'S GREATER TASKS

It would be difficult to say just when Abraham Lincoln
took on the full stature of a nian. It is probably true
that he was mature for his age, as the conditions of the
times, and the manner of living, had given him a man's
attitude toward life and the things around him. In
general, however, it might be said that the transition
period came when he passed from Indiana to Illinois.
The events of his life previous to that time belong to
his youth while those afterward belong to his manhood.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 33

TO MANHOOD'S GREATER TASKS

From youth to manhood's stature,
The unknown Lincoln passed,

Along Life's road with its windings;
To great and noble tasks.

Leaving the things of his boyhood,
But not the things of his heart,

For the lessons Nature taught him
Were still of him a part.

Like many another young man

The road seemed rough and long,

But with eager heart and courage,
He came with cheerful song.

Somewhere upon Life's journey,

Lincoln the boy was lost,
But Lincoln the man stepped forward,

The unseen boundry crossed.

For God in his infinite wisdom
Had builded a youth of brawn,

With a sturdy, strong, endurance,
To build true manhood on.

34 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

And into that foundation

Was placed with honest worth,

The things his cherished mother
Had bequeathed to him at birth.

In the tender years of boyhood

Was deep foundation laid,
Upon which a towering structure,

And noble life was made.

36 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

A LANTERN IN HER HAND

Sarah Bush Lincoln, the second wife of Thomas Lin-
coln, came into the life of Abraham soon after the
death of his mother, when he was but ten years of age.
Her sympathetic help, and guidance, had great influence
upon his impressionistic years. Hers was the beacon
light which guided his youthful feet over the rough
paths, as he struggled upward, and onward, to greater
heights.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 37

A LANTERN IN HER HAND
SARAH BUSH LINCOLN

She walked the way unflinching,

With a lantern in her hand,
To light the path of duty

Through a stern and dreary land.

Sometimes when hovering dangers,

With somber shadows passed,
Along the vale of darkness,

A gleam of hope was cast.

Through sufferings and trials,

Through perils of the night,
The tasks of life were lightened

By that clear, unfailing, light.

'T was the light of love that gleameth,

And its bright unceasing glow
Blazed a path that Lincoln's feet

Might there in safety go.

38 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

LINCOLN TAKES A FLATBOAT TO NEW ORLEANS

It was the day of water transportation, and the casual
observer might see countless numbers of boats, barges,
and rafts upon all the streams tributary to the Mississippi
River. Each was loaded with produce and provisions
on its way to the great harbor city of New Orleans.
Abraham Lincoln with his companions undertook to
convey one of these rafts down the River from the
town of New Salem, Illinois. As a matter of biograph-
ical fact, he made two such trips, one down the Ohio
River, and one down the Sangammon to their junction
with the Father of Waters. Large experience thus came
to him upon contact with the outside world.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 39

LINCOLN TAKES A FLATBOAT TO NEW ORLEANS

Long days of toil on the mighty River,
Hours spent 'neath the burning sun,

As slowly they came floating downward,
Where the broad and deep currents run.

Past busy towns and fast growing cities,
Their wharves piled high with freight;

Past large cotton and sugar plantations,
They floated, from early morn until late.

Along by the side of fast sailing steamers,
Churning, and pounding, the water to foam,

Decks piled high with stock and provisions;
Barges in tow and other floating alone.

Resting at night in some quiet harbor,
Fanned by the cool breezes which blow:

Hearing the plaintive songs of the negroes
As they sang in the sun's last glow.

Reaching at last the great harbor city,
Past which the deep currents sweep,

Far out into the Gulf, and there spreading
Their riches where the water is deep.

There at the dock lie sea-going vessels;

Odd crafts that all are to him,
With their flags of far-away countries;

His flat boat comes close beside them.

Lying at rest near these foreign vessels,
Busy discharging their heavy cargoes;

Exchanging their own for still others,
By toiling, sweating, gangs of negroes.

40 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

There are barrels, boxes, and bales of cotton,
Piled on the dock in long endless row,

Shoving, pushing, carrying, cursing,
For into the hold of the ship all must go.

Thus, Lincoln came to New Orleans,
A strange place to him it appears,

Full of wonder, industry, culture,
Rich with traditions of years.

Paved streets, and many tall buildings,
Shops alive with business and trade,

Parks, monuments, and sparkling fountains,
Which for the purpose of beauty were made.

Into this vast seething maelstrom,
Lincoln, the youth, ventures forth,

A rough untutored lad from the backwoods,
Coming afar from the North.

42 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

THE SLAVE MARKET

It was during one of his trips to New Orleans, while
rambling about the interesting city, that Abraham
Lincoln, and the young fellows with him, saw negroes
chained, maltreated, whipped, and scourged, both upon
the streets, and in the slave markets. They saw these
sights as any honest young man would who came from
the Northern free states. The sight seared to his very soul,
and it would be strange, indeed, had he not expressed
his indignation in the prophetic words which he is
related as having spoken.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 43

THE SLAVE MARKET

When Lincoln came to New Orleans,

He visited shop and store;
Coming at last to the slave market

With his companions, he entered the door.

There by the wall near the archway,

These young men from the far North stand.

With horror filled eyes beholding,
Scenes enacted as from a strange land.

Human beings with coal black bodies,
Awaiting their turn in long silent row,

Some already on the block for auction,
Others crouching in terror below.

What they saw in that busy slave market,

The voices of men and the din,
Seared to the great soul of Lincoln;

Burned to his great heart within.

It called forth his tender compassion,
As he watched through that hour,

And looked on a nation in bondage,
Enslaved by man's greed and power.

Last night as his flatboat drifted,

There came from a cabin door,
Plaintive folk songs of these people,

As they sang them, over and over.

The soul of a down-trodden people
Was there being poured forth in song;

Their burdens and secret emotions,
Which to them could only belong.

44 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

Now, he longed to rush forward,
To break every strong fetter chain,

Which bound these unfortunate beings,
And lead them to freedom again.

In vain would he have rushed forward,
In righteous wrath would he go;

" If I ever have the chance ", said he,
" I will hit that thing a blow ".

But with restraint born of caution,
And knowing the full import of law,

He abided his time with great patience,
But could never forget what he saw.

All men, he knew, are born equal,
And no other man has the right

To enslave, or deprive them of freedom,
Or hold them with force, or with might.

Standing within that slave market,
Lincoln, their leader and friend,

Looked upon a dread institution,
Which he there determined to end.

No doubt, when called by his country,
This place he would oft-times see;

And the hurt of his soul drove him forward,
Until his fellow men would be free.

46 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

THE FADED PORTRAIT

The story of Abraham Lincoln's love for Ann Rut-
ledge, while living in New Salem, Illinois, is too well
known to be repeated here. It, no doubt, had some
strange influence upon his life and actions. It is a
sacred picture and one which is painted with wavering
and faded lines, wet with tears of human compassion,
and dimmed by the passing of time.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 47

THE FADED PORTRAIT
LINCOLN'S FIRST GREAT LOVE AND SORROW

Would you hold the candle higher,

So that the light might shine,
Full upon that faded portrait,

Traced out in faintest line.

It is a most pathetic picture

Which hangs upon the wall,
Where the deepening shadows linger

And across the surface fall.

In very faintest outlines,

The features we may trace,
Upon that pictured background,

As it hangs up there in place.

Somehow the gloomy shadows,

Still seems to linger there,
Across the form and features

Of a maiden, young and fair.

'T is the picture of Ann Rutledge,
Who was Lincoln's first great love,

To whom he pledged devotion,
As true as Heaven above.

48 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

No, we would not rend asunder

The veil which covers all,
And drapes that sacred picture,

Or remove it from the wall.

Neither would we care to banish
Nor erase from History's page,

The scenes of that strange courtship,
Which was played upon Life's stage.

The canvas has been painted,

In wavering lines and dim,
For Lincoln's first great sorrow,

Is sealed in death with him.

50 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

CLEAN CHIPS

It was a rail, taken from an old rail fence from a
farm in central Illinois, and carried into a convention
hall, that stampeded the delegates, and gave to Abraham
Lincoln the title "The Rail Splitter". Whether this
was one of the rails split by him to obtain enough
jeans for a pair of pants is not known. But we do know
that rails were in demand for fencing the cleared farm,
and that Abraham could do his stint at splitting them as
well as the best. The title is not one of of contempt, or
ridicule but one which carried him to a place of great
honor and fame.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 51

CLEAN CHIPS
ABRAHAM LINCOLN — RAIL SPLITTER

Beneath tall oaks of the forest,

Rooted deep in the rich prairie soil,

Abraham Lincoln, with axe and mallet,
Learned the hard lesson of toil.

The sound of the crashing giants,

As his axe bit into the wood,
And the sight of the clean chips falling,

To his ear, and his eye, seemed good.

With sharp iron wedge and mallet,
Under strong, heavy blows, well laid,

The long rough rails for fencing

The burned-over clearings were made.

His hand, his arm, and his muscle,

And the well directed blow,
By which he split rails for fences,

Brought to him fame years ago.

The chips which flew from the timber

Was straight cut and clean,
For the eye which directed the chopping,

And the blade of his axe was keen.

52 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

WHEN LINCOLN RODE THE CIRCUIT

It was customary in the early days of Illinois, for
the circuit judge to go from place to place to hold his
court. The lawyers would ride from court to court to
argue their cases and attend to the legal business of
their clients. The judge and the lawyers would ride
across the country, stop for lodging at some tavern,
and were more or less together in a close comradeship
which is today unknown, among the legal profession.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 53

WHEN LINCOLN RODE THE CIRCUIT

When Lincoln rode the circuit.

And practiced at the bar,
Illinois was newly settled;

The distances were far.

The state was thinly peopled,
The towns were few and small,

And upon the vast prairies
No homes were found at all.

From place to place he traveled,

Wherever court decreed,
To try the cases brought before,

To argue and to plead.

He always read and studied,

His cases pro and con,
And knew the questions in dispute

And many of them won.

But always in the courtroom

He tried to do his best,
To serve his client justly,

And measure to the test.

And when the judge requested,

He sat within the chair,
And rendered his decisions,

Which others thought most fair.

At night with judge and lawyers,

He retired to room or inn,
To pass the time, to play the joke,

Or wonder tales to spin.

54 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

But when they traveled ownard,
This congenial group of men,

Lived the rough and simple life
As the country knew it then.

Thus, year by year, did Lincoln,

Like other of his kind,
Devote to legal practices,

His clearest thought and mind.

When Lincoln rode the circuit,

And gave the best he had,
He gained a useful knowledge,

Of men, both good and bad.

He also made true friendships,

And bound men to him fast,
By his steadfast devotion,

And formed the ties which last.

And when a few years later,

He heard their urgent call,
To serve the State and Nation,

He gave himself, his all.

56 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

THE POEM LINCOLN LOVED

The poem " 0 Why Should The Spirit of Mortal Be
Proud " was a favourite of Lincoln. It became a part
of him. Somehow, it suited his moods and tempera-
ment, embodying his inner thoughts and feelings. It
was his philosophy of life and religion.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 57

THE POEM LINCOLN LOVED

There is a poem which Lincoln
Thought the greatest of all;

It became his chief comfort,
When friends round him fall.

It asked why the spirit
Of man should be proud,

Like the strong wind which blows,
Or the swift sailing cloud.

Or the flash of a meteor,

Which drops through the air;

They all vanish together,
Leaving vacancy there.

'T is on God, the Eternal,

Upon which man should place

His faith, and dependence,
In life's fleeting race.

Do you wonder these verses,
With their truth most sublime,

Had a grip on his soul
As enduring as time.

So this beautiful poem.

And Lincoln's own name,
Are both carved together

In Life's Hall of Fame.

58 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

THE BATTLE OF THE GIANTS

It was at Bement, Illinois, in a little white cottage
belonging to F. E. Bryant, that Abraham Lincoln and
Stephen A. Douglas planned their joint debate, which
was held in the summer of 1858. The great literary
duel, known as the Lincoln-Douglas Debate, marked
Lincoln as a National figure and is considered his step-
ping stone to the Presidency of the United States.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 59

THE BATTLE OF GIANTS

There 's a little house at Bement,
Just an unassuming place,
Where Lincoln challenged Douglas,
Each a giant of the race.

There in friendly conversation,
They planned a joint debate,
Which would take before the people
Vital questions of the State.

And on a single platform,
Each his arguments propound,
To be answered by the other,
As they battled, round by round.

So in the year of fifty-eight,
In seven cities, far and near,
The people came in thousands
Their favourite sons to hear.

The Lincoln-Douglas Campaign,
Gave to each a lasting name,
It brought Douglas to the Senate,
But to Lincoln greater fame.

And in the years that followed,
He became the Nation's Chief,
Just because he argued clearly
When he answered, brief for brief.

60 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

THERE'S A LITTLE WOMAN WAITING

One of the women who influenced the life of Abraham
Lincoln, was Mary Todd Lincoln, his devoted wife and
companion, the mother of his children, and his unfail-
ing help during the stormy periods of the war. She
shared with him his darkest hours of gloom and des-
pondency, spurred him on to greater heights of achieve-
ments, and stood by his side in his hours of triumph
and honor.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 61

THERE'S A LITTLE WOMAN WAITING
MARY TODD LINCOLN

When they held the fateful election
And every vote was cast,
The message came to Lincoln
That he had won at last.

He spoke to those around him,
" I reckon you men know
There 's a little women waiting,
I guess I 'd better go ".

" There 's a little woman waiting,
At home not far away,
Who is listening for my footsteps.
And what I have to say ".

" There 's a little woman waiting,
I guess she wants to hear,
That I have been elected,
The news her heart will cheer "'.

" There 's a little woman waiting "
They heard him now repeat,
As he vanished from the door way,
And started down the street.

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WHEN LINCOLN CAME

It would be difficult to portray the chaotic condition
of the country at the time Abraham Lincoln came to the
Presidential chair. It seemed that the Union was fall-
ing apart. During the latter part of President Buchanon's
administration lines were being drawn hard and fast.
Men were definitely, and positively, taking sides and
girding for the oncoming conflict. It was a period of
distress and doubt. Lifelong friendships were being
broken, brother was arming against brother, and the
phantom of war was hovering menaceingly over the
Nation.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 63

WHEN LINCOLN CAME

'T was darkest day when Lincoln came
To sit within the Chair,
As our Nation's chief executive,
For strife was everywhere.

The land was torn asunder,
And hearts were sore afraid,
Statesmen preached secession,
And open threats were made.

Soon would blare of trumpet,
And tramp of marching feet
Resound through peaceful thorofares;
And soldiers clash in street.

He came with stern authority,
And took the helm of State,
But became the humble servant
Of men, both low and great.

He walked the way unflinching,
Sometimes with strongest hand,
To help remove the burden,
From his beloved land.

Through years of gravest peril,
He gave his clearest thought,
To save a broken Nation,
And closer union brought.

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THE MARCHING FEET OF MEN

One of the most pathetic and heart touching inci-
dences in the life of Abraham Lincoln came just after
he had issued his first call for volunteers. It took some
time for the recruits to get started toward Washington,
and while he, and the Nation, waited it is said that
Lincoln paced the floor of his room, and almost in des-
pairing voice exclaimed " 0, Why don't they come, Why
don't they come ". Despair, and gloom, and failure
stalked the floor with him as he waited. But his heart
was cheered, and his hopes arose as the first volunteers
came swinging down the Avenue, to the strains of mar-
tial music, and the frenzied shouts of the waiting mul-
titudes. His hopes had been vindicated and the people
had come at his urgent call.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 65

THE MARCHING FEET OF MEN

I

The marching feet of men
Which to the colors fly,
Tramping, tramping, tramping,
Declared to win or die.

II

The marching feet of men
Goes swiftly into night,
Tramping, tramping, tramping,
Like a bird's insistent flight.

Ill

The marching feet of men
Continues through the day,
Tramping, tramping, tramping,
To the trenches far away.

IV

The marching feet of men
Which came at Lincoln's call,
Tramping, tramping, tramping,
In bloody battles fall.

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The marching feet of men
Their sweetest life's blood gave,
Tramping, tramping, tramping,
Their countries life to save.

VI

The marching feet of men
Goes ever on and on,
Tramping, tramping, tramping,
Until the goal is won.

VII

The marching feet of men
Like tides of restless sea,
Bearing driftwood on its bosom,
Sweeps on eternally.

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THE GUIDING HAND

During one of the most distressing periods in the his-
tory of our Nation, Lincoln's hand was the only firm
hand upon the helm. Figuratively he brought the great
Ship of State safely into the harbor as the dawn of a new
day was breaking over the land.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 69

THE GUIDING HAND

I

A noble ship is sailing,
Across the storm swept sea
Where the angry, raging waters
Are unrestrained, and free.

Its pathway lies unchartered,
And full of dread and fears;
For other ships have foundered,
With death and sodden tears.

But a master's hand is holding

The vessel on its track,

Across the pathless waters,

Where the night with storm is black.

With eye and arm unflinching,
Straight as the arrow flies,
Through the danger and the peril,
And death which round it lies.

'Mid the crashing of the thunder,
And through the storm which breaks,
Which rends the sails and riggings,
His way of safety takes.

But see, the clouds are lifting,
The darkness is no more,
For the morning light is shining
Upon yonder peaceful shore.

Through midnight hours of terror,
The ship rode safely home,
And anchored in the harbor,
When joyous day had come.

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II

That ship is but the symbol
Of our Nation in the throes
Of civil strife and tumult;
And war through which it goes.

The strong hand of the captain
Is naught but Lincoln's hand
Who, looking to its safety,
Guides a broken, bleeding land.

0 Captain, Courageous Captain!
Your hand upon the helm
Brought your ship to safety,
Into the harbor's calm.

0 Lincoln, Mighty Lincoln!
With steadfast, determined way,
Through dangers and grave perils,
You rode the storm 'till day.

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THE TALL MAN WITH A SHAWL

It was customary, during the early history of our coun-
try, for men to wear a shawl thrown over their shoulders
during the cool part of the day, and in winter time.
Lincoln's worn and faded shawl is an object of great
veneration to any one whose privilege it is to look upon
it today, and dwell upon the memories clustering
around it.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 73

THE TALL MAN WITH A SHAWL

I

In places of assembly,
Through legislature's hall,
Came a man upon whose shoulders
Was a worn and faded shawl.

II

Across red fields of battle,
Where the smoke hung like a pall,
Above the strife and carnage,
Came a tall man with a shawl.

Ill

Where lay the maimed and dying,
Where fair-haired soldiers call
From long white rows of anguish,
Came a tall man with a shawl.

IV

Within a lonesome garden,
Where the evening shadows fall,
Across the silent pathway ,
Came a tall man with a shawl.

The throes of bleeding Nation,
Heartaches, tears of mothers, — all
Fell on Lincoln's shoulders,
And was wrapped beneath that shawl.

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VICTORY AT GETTYSBURG

The Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863, was the
turning point of the War of the Rebellion. It is con-
sidered one of the great decisive battles of the world.
The importance of the battle, however, must be estimated
rather by the peril from which the Northern States was
delivered than by any immediate results. It gave Lincoln
the opportunity for which he had been long waiting, and
he issued his famous Emancipation Proclamation.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 75

VICTORY AT GETTYSBURG

Here two great armies battled,
On a field dripped red with blood,
And across the hills and valleys,
Rolling onward like a flood.

From Round Top to the Wheatfield,
Across broad and fertile vale,
The lines of battle surged,
Leaving broken, bleeding trail.

Within the deadly Orchard,
The battle tide rolled high,
And reached the wavering crest
When Victory came nigh.

Against the solid wall of stone,
In charge and counter-charge,
Where soldiers fell in slaughter
Of the death-dealing barrage.

Three desperate days of fighting,
When the surges rose and fell,
Brave soldiers fought unflinching,
Like demons loose from hell.

After frequent vain attempts
To crush the solid line of blue,
With spirits still undaunted,
The shattered grays withdrew.

The victory won at Gettysburg,
Which to Lincoln stood revealed,
Was the fatal turning point
When Confederate doom was sealed.

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ABRAHAM LINCOLN SPEAKS AT GETTYSBURG

The passing of the crisis in the war was fittingly cele-
brated by the dedication of the Battlefield of Gettysburg
as a National Cemetary, November 19, 1863. One of
the speakers was President Abraham Lincoln, who de-
livered an address in well chosen words, simple and
direct, which has become a world classic.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 77

ABRAHAM LINCOLN SPEAKS AT GETTYSBURG

To the Battlefield of Gettysburg
Abraham Lincoln came,
And the speech he there delivered,
Has immortalized his name.

He came upon that sacred spot,
Where a vast assembled throng,
Had met to dedicate a shrine
With prayer, and word, and song.

He stood with head uncovered,
Felt the great impelling power,
And influence of unnumbered men
Who gave themselves that hour.

He knew his words were futile,
Could neither add nor take away
From the many deeds of valor,
Of those who fought that day.

In a speech but briefly spoken,
With simple words and few,
He gave the world his masterpiece;
Words of import, great and true.

He called upon the living,
Rather than the honored dead,
To consecrate themselves anew,
To far greater tasks ahead.

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In this reunited Nation,

In this land of Freedom's birth,

He said that government of the people,

Should not perish from the earth.

His speech so rich in grandeur,
As a monument will stand,
More enduring than the Pyramids,
Upon Egypt's shifting sand.

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WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE

On March 4th, 1865, Abraham Lincoln took office for
the second time as President of the United States. His
inaugural address is full of tender compassion. It shows
his attitude of forgiveness toward the enemy whom he
had been engaged in fighting, and whom he felt would
soon be compelled to surrender. That there would be
difficulties, during the period of reconstruction, he had
no doubt. But opposition, to any but the most severe
punishment meted out to the offenders, would come
largely from the North. It was his contention that the
Southern States had never been out of the Union, and
he was ready to treat with them on that basis. The
Second Inaugural Address with his Gettysburg Address
are two of the world's great classics.

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WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE

With malice toward none,

With charity for all,

Let us bind up the Nation's wounds,

Caring for those who fall.

The carnage of hatred shall cease,
The roll and beat of the drum,
Shall pass from the land away,
And the blessings of peace shall come.

Than a people that 's reunited
Shall work for a brighter day,
In a peace that 's just and lasting
And will show other nations the way.

He saw in the future clearly
The need for a hand of love,
And a heart of tender compassion
Like that of his Father above.

Thus from the lips of Lincoln
These words of forgiveness fell,
His plan for the reconstruction,
And beneficent purpose will tell.

He stood near the flagdraped portal,
Where the symbol of Justice enshrine,
And spoke the words of forgiveness,
Enduring and lasting as Time.

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THE WHITE DOVE OF PEACE

To homes bereft of loved ones, to a broken, bleeding,
Nation, to Abraham Lincoln, came the sweet message of
Peace.

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THE WHITE DOVE OF PEACE

I

Then came the White Dove of Peace,
Flying low o'er the land,
Above the freshly-made ramparts,
Which on the battle-fields stand.

Far over the hills and valleys,
The sound of the battle's din
Was fading away in the distance,
As peace was ushered in.

Loud cheers and shouts of rejoicing,
Came from the thinned ranks of men,
For home to their loved ones rejoicing,
No more would they draw sword again.

Their mud-stained bodies were weary,
Their features haggard and drawn,
From cold and damp of the trenches,
From marches and night vigils long.

II

Then the White Dove of Peace, hovered
With pinions of golden light,
Above the still forms of soldiers,
Who fell in the blackness of night.

Along by the hot dusty roadway,
And out through the country side,
Were fields of human driftwood,
Left there by the ebbing tide.

84 ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL

Soldiers asleep neath the grasses,
Where Springtime flowers bloom.
Awaiting there for the summons
To come forth from the tomb.

Ill

Soon the White Dove of Peace rested,
Coming at last to her nest,
Weary from long years of searching
For a place of safety and rest.

Once more to their waiting harvests,
And fields of well-ripened grain,
Waving a welcome return,
Fresh in the dews and the rain.

Once more to their unused benches,
And their rusty anvils and last,
Men all took their stations,
For their day of warfare had passed.

Once more to their great commander
Who patiently prayed for this hour;
To Lincoln, came rest and sweet slumber
From war's dreaded power.

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" NOW, HE BELONGS TO THE AGES "

To Edwin McMaster Stanton, Secretary of War, is
credited the statement, " Now, he belongs to the Ages ".
As Abraham Lincoln breathed his last, these prophetic
words were spoken to the members of the Cabinet, as
they stood around the bed, upon which their leader lay
stricken down by an assassins bullet. Time has but
added to the truth of what was spoken that day.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 87

" NOW, HE BELONGS TO THE AGES "

I

When Lincoln fell a martyr,
There was writ on History's pages
In letters deeply graven,
" Now, he belongs to the ages ".

II

" Now, he belongs to the ages ",
Said a statesman standing near
To those within death's chamber,
And for all mankind to hear.

Ill

" Now, he belongs to the ages,"
As all martyred souls who fall,
Who shed their richest life blood,
And who sacrifice their all.

IV

" Now, he belongs to the ages,"
The flow of ceaseless Time,
Belongs to every State and Nation,
Belongs to men of every clime.

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" Now, he belongs to the ages ",
And the burdened everywhere,
May in his noble life discern
A message crystal clear.

VI

" Now, he belongs to the ages,"
This man who died, that we
Might enjoy far greater blessings,
And every one be free.

PART THREE

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LINCOLN LIVES TRIUMPHANT

I

Lincoln lives triumphant
In the hearts of his fellow men;
He lives, and breathes, and watches,
As he did in the long days when
With undaunted steps and steady
He walked on our sacred sod,
And spent his life in fullness
To further the cause of God.

II

He gave himself a ransom
When he followed the martyr's track,
That fetters might fall from the bonded,
And burdens be lifted from backs
Of those who dwell in the shadows ;
And wiped from our flag the stain
When his own rich blood in its flowing,
Purged fair America's name.

Ill

Yes, Lincoln lives triumphant
In the souls of men everywhere;
He lives, and breathes, and watches,
And stands close beside them there;
He lives in the soul of the humble,
Who struggle to pierce through the gloom;
He lives in the soul of the toiler,
Enslaved by the mill or the loom;
He lives in the soul of the worker,
Whose hands are calloused and dry;
For he is the Spirit of Freedom, —
He fell but did not die.

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ABE LINCOLN READS MACBETH

I

Abe Lincoln sat in his country store,
With his chair atilt on the puncheon floor;
His feet perched high on the counter rail,
One cold winter night with its snow and hail;
The ice-laden winds o'er the ridge-pole moan
As he sat that night in his store alone,
Absorbed in Shakespeare's tragic Macbeth
With its direful plot of treason and death.

II

The scream of the owl and the midnight bell,

The sentinel's cry that all is well,

But treason comes in that darksome hour

When Macbeth steals through the castle's tower,

Where King Duncan lies in a peaceful sleep,

Secure in his dreams from threacheous feet.

Then the dagger's thrust, and the muffled cry;

The stealthy tread through the halls near by;

The whispered words of the guilty pair

As Lady Macbeth meets her Lord on the stair;

The fatal deed to the four winds shout,

And the stain on their souls will never wash out;

The spot of blood on the lily-white hand

Of Lady Macbeth proclaims to the land,

That the guilt and fear of a murderous deed,

Is the ripened fruit of ambition and greed.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 93

III

Abe Lincoln shudders and stirs the spark
Of fire on the hearth, then through the dark
Of a night as black as the traitor's deed,
Walks to his room with quickened speed.
He ponders long on the tragic end
An the dagger's thrust in the heart of a friend;
He never dreams of that infamous plot,
When he would fall by a treacherous shot,
Of a slinking assassin behind the scene,
As fatal to him as the daggar blade keen
Which brightly flashed, in that midninght hour,
When the stage was set at Inverness Tower.

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WALT WHITMAN MEETS ABE LINCOLN

The dreamer of dreams, and the teller of tales,
Meet in the land where love never fails;
In that far-away home of the golden strand,
A smile of the face and a clasp of the hand;
Their pathway in life had not even crossed,
Their friendship on earth had forever been lost;
Unknown to the other 'till in death they meet,
And both walk together on the shining street.

So close had they lived while here on earth,
These two great souls, both of humble birth;
These two huge giants — the last of their race, —
With markings of toil on each rough-hewn face;
Their heads were bowed by the same great care,
Ere they came at last to a sweet peace there;
Their lonely feet on the mountain side trod;
They now walk together on the streets of God.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN LOOKS ACROSS THE MALL 95

LINCOLN

0 lonely mountain!
Rough-hewn by wind and rain
Rugged, desolate, bare,
With storm-scarred face
You stand sentinel there
Above the common plain.

0 Lonely mountain!

Unloved art thou;

And stark against the sky;

But as I looked

A cloud passed by

And kissed your noble brow.

I V

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